ALBUM REVIEW: Still There’s A Glow – Sweet Pill
Emo outfit, SWEET PILL, have put out their newest record Still There’s A Glow. The Philadelphia quintet put out their debut album, Where The Heart Is, back in 2022 to critical acclaim and success that saw them tour with the likes of LA DISPUTE and THE WONDER YEARS before embarking on their own headliner. Yet, despite the positivity that surrounded the release, there was now a new pressure placed on the group on how the next record could follow up to avoid a sophomore slump.
They took a pause, allowed the pressure to ease, and then spent their time working on new music at their own pace with little expectation from the outside. And the result? A brand-new stunning record that perfectly captures their skill in blending emo, rock, and indie sounds seamlessly that will hold your attention from start to finish.
Opening things up is Sunblind, a track that blends punk with 90s alternative grunge. Despite the punk heavy style, SWEET PILL offer a relatively lowkey take on the genre where things aren’t loud but are still intriguing enough to draw you in where you’re likely to agree that they sound just plain cool. Following this is Shameless where things, whilst still blending 90s alternative and punk, now take on a more melodic composition with a stunning guitar in the opening section of the song.
In a way, part of the record sounds like PARAMORE’s All We Know Is Falling, or more specifically, what that album would’ve sounded like if it had come out during the 90s as opposed to 2005. Namely, No Control, a track you’ll find yourself nodding along with its catchy drumbeats, that draws comparison to All We Know, whilst Glow, a calm, beautiful number, can be compared to Brighter.
And whilst we’re on the topic of beautiful songs, there are moments where you feel somewhat calm and free, like you’re now in a soft, glowing bubble that keeps you safe from the world. Moments like this happen plenty of times, such as during Smoke Screen which, despite a shift in pace from soft guitar to the full band coming in, it leaves you feeling mellow; whilst the final two songs, Holding On and Letting Go, have a gentle nature that leaves you feeling comforted and hopeful about life.
Of course, we also need to give praise to songs that are a somewhat direct contrast of gentle, where faster punk melodies can be enjoyed such as during Slow Burn, where we can only feel excited for when this is performed live; and Rotten, the most aggressive sounding song on the whole album with it’s guitar-heavy punk sound before a sudden shift into something more ethereal towards the end.
A stunning record from a band that’s hard to place in a box. What more can be said?
Rating: 9/10
Still There’s A Glow is out now via Hopeless Records.
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